


Hey, I'm Doing Fine

by steverogerstrash (theyvegotthisspellonme)



Series: Resist the Snooze [15]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Steve and Bucky finally get a fucking vacation, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:35:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24432187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theyvegotthisspellonme/pseuds/steverogerstrash
Summary: Steve and Bucky finally get the vacation they fucking deserve. Realizations are had.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Resist the Snooze [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1269041
Comments: 1
Kudos: 39





	Hey, I'm Doing Fine

**Author's Note:**

> ayyyy I'm back on my bullshit! Again!
> 
> title from [Permanent Vacation by 5 Seconds of Summer.](https://open.spotify.com/track/691NxyycrqSWH5vZ19Jzm2?si=5zksX-9VTwm5v8hJakt1eQ) I am not sorry. 
> 
> the [prompt](http://colormayfade.tumblr.com/generator) for this was vacation

Steve sighs as he settles back into the chair. He deserves this, he reminds himself. Bucky, too. They’ve earned this vacation several times over. Part of him feels guilty, though, that they’re leaving who knows what kinds of problems to the others. 

“Stop feeling bad.” Bucky says. He throws something soft - a towel - at Steve. “We earned this, it’s time to relax. Besides,” he starts, finally turning to look at Steve, “they got along fine without us for years. They’ll be okay for a couple weeks.”

“I just worry.” Steve mumbles. Bucky laughs, then leans over across the blanket to put his hand - the flesh one - on Steve’s cheek. 

“That’s one of the things I love about you. But they’ll be fine. Natasha’s in charge, remember?” 

“You know, that does make me feel better.” They laugh together, then Steve leans back against the sand. They sit in silence for a while, basking in the bright tropical sun and the fact that, after almost 100 years, they finally get some time off. 

Tony had picked the resort, so it was private enough that no one bothered them about the Captain America thing or the Winter Soldier thing, which was nice. Pepper had been the one to make all of the arrangements, though, so they had a few scheduled activities everyday that, in ordinary circumstances, men their age should maybe not be partaking in. 

Steve’s favorite was the snorkeling - all the colors of the fish and the coral coming together in ways that artists still couldn’t quite catch, that didn’t translate perfectly to photo. Not that that stops either of them trying: there’s a small easel set up on the balcony of their cabin on the beach and a small stack of canvases piling up against the railing. Bucky, for his part, has been trying to take each moment as it comes, sometimes taking pictures of things he finds truly spectacular. Most of his photos are of Steve. He’s not ashamed. 

Most of their days are spent relaxing, though. Steve has never felt so at peace. Part of him wonders why he was always looking for a fight, anyway. 

“Do you ever think about not getting back into the fight?” The question falls out of his mouth before Steve can stop it. 

“All the time.” Bucky admits. “But I won’t leave you to do it alone.”

“I was just thinking… maybe it’s time to get out of the game. All of our days could be like this.”

“Painting the sunlight away?” Bucky’s teasing, but he’s right. In his heart, Steve is more an artist than he is anything else. Steve nods.

“Yeah, exactly. We’re over one hundred years old, anyway. Think it’s time to retire?”

Bucky doesn’t answer, really, just leans over and presses his lips to Steve’s. 

“I thought you’d never ask.” 

— 

Handing the shield to Sam is a relief.

“It’s heavier than you might think.” Steve warns him as he hands it off. And it was. The expectations of so many people, the eyes of the public… all of it got to be too much. But there’s so much less pressure on Sam than there was on Steve when he came out of the ice. No one decided at some point in the last sixty years that Sam was probably a straight conservative obsessed with guns, never mind the fact that Steve hasn’t used one since the war. “Although you’ll probably do better with it than I did.” 

“I don’t know, these are some pretty big shoes to fill.” 

“You’ll be great, Sam. I wouldn’t give it to you if I thought different. And besides, it was Buck that talked me into it in the first place.”

“Barnes told you to give to me? Well, that changes everything.” But Sam is laughing now, and Steve is glad. There was really no one else he’d be willing to pass the mantle to, and he’s glad that Tony let him make the decision. Part of him is glad, too, that SHIELD isn’t around to get in the way of this decision, though he’s sure Fury would’ve had some thoughts about who the mantle should go to. 

“So what are you two gonna do with your retirement?” Sam asks. He’s put the shield back in its case, slung over his shoulder like it belongs there. Steve smiles. 

“Who knows? But we’re sure as hell looking forward to it.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on [tumblr](http://ceilingventclintbarton.tumblr.com)


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